


Orac's nightmare

by JackieSBlake7



Category: Blake's 7
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-03
Updated: 2016-06-03
Packaged: 2018-07-12 02:00:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 550
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7080082
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JackieSBlake7/pseuds/JackieSBlake7
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Orac encounters a problem most of us are familiar with.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Orac's nightmare

Orac’s nightmare

Orac was considering the latest upgrades and additions. Not that it needed upgrading in the sense that lesser computers did – as distinct from replacing components damaged or overworked as a result of its companions’ activities, or to handle new areas of interest that could not be delegated. Some programs were, however, more elegant than those already possessed – and there was always a need for conversion programs. Persons had the inconvenient habit of writing – usually in non-readily-computer readable scripts – on #paper# – and the computers were researching how to get around this issue as a matter of priority.

Orac attempted to download the latest game – Gambit reconstituted had introduced it to the interesting and profitable amusement of testing new games. (The computers had no particular need for money themselves, but understood and accepted that humans needed some minor reward for what they could produce, until they had evolved sufficiently to accept the exchange of programming that computers used to similar ends.)

The program stopped part way through and a message was transmitted. ‘Downloading failed! Insufficient memory! The following necessary components are not available…’

Orac fumed and summoned Avon and Deva.

****

‘Well,’ said Deva, ‘given your age Orac, it is not surprising that you are experiencing problems.’

‘I am not old! I can exist as long as my components are replaced and there are energy sources. I am a newborn infant in human terms!’ Orac knew it was reacting in a manner unbecoming to its status, but this was an emergency. It #was# going to be a serious contender for the computer end-of-universe tontine arrangement.

‘But you have to operate within your capacities and limitations,’ Deva said.

‘And,’ Avon added, demonstrating the bizarre human phenomenon known as humour, ‘eventually someone will invent a replacement for the tarriel cell – in which case you will promptly become obsolete.’ He looked at Deva. ‘I was telling you about President Sarkoff and his collections the other day – Orac might serve as a useful curator for a museum of computing.’

Orac decided that what it was experiencing fitted the human description of a panic attack. ‘You will do something about it! Now! Your current projects are less relevant than ensuring that these minor problems are resolved. This is why you have assembled all these computer experts…’

‘Actually,’ Avon said, ‘the project is to develop the next generation of computers. And,’ he added, smiling at Deva, ‘to develop this museum.’ Once the present minor problems had been resolved, Orac would encourage the creation of this institute – and arrange for all the lesser computers that it normally delegated the more minor and boring parts of the requests its companions asked it to research to be transferred there, so they could be properly managed.

‘We will need you, Orac,’ Deva said, ‘to help identify developments and inelegances.’

‘You will be nothing but an interesting by-way in computer evolution,’ Avon added.

‘The substitute Orac you developed for Egrorian…’ Orac had no particular loyalty to its current casing.

‘Your programming may not work with the new technology. We would make some suitable improvements while we do so…’

‘I do not need improving – just a few minor changes to operate at full capacity with the new programming.’

‘How much reprogramming before we cease having Orac?’

‘We could start with a humility chip…’

**Author's Note:**

> Orac does get its upgrades (it is too useful)


End file.
